The ban on openly gay men and women in the military should be repealed, American voters say
56 - 37 percent, including 50 - 43 percent among voters with family in the military, according to
a Quinnipiac University national poll released today. American voters who think being gay is an
individual's choice, 36 percent, are generally less supportive of gay rights than those who think
people are born gay, 42 percent.

White Catholics say 64 - 29 percent that gays in the military should be allowed to come
out, while white evangelical Christians support "don't ask; don't tell" 53 - 40 percent. Voters
reject 58 - 35 percent, including 56 - 39 percent in military households, the argument that
allowing openly gay men and women to serve would be divisive, the independent Quinnipiac
(KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University survey of 2,041 registered voters nationwide finds.

American voters reject 50 - 44 percent the argument that ending discrimination against
homosexuals is as necessary today as ending discrimination against blacks was in the 1960s.
Black voters say 45 - 44 percent it is as important, while whites say 51 - 43 percent it is not.

Voters support 50 - 44 percent the federal law allowing states to refuse to recognize
same-sex marriages performed in other states, but say 54 - 39 percent that the federal law
denying federal spousal benefits to same-sex partners should be repealed.

"Americans have nuanced and at times inconsistent views about gay rights issues. For
instance, 60 percent think preventing gays from serving in the military is discrimination, but 51
percent don't think preventing gays from marrying is discrimination," said Peter A. Brown,
assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

American voters oppose 55 - 38 percent a law in their state allowing same-sex couples to
marry, but support 57 - 38 percent allowing same-sex couples to form civil unions.

"In general, Americans tend to be more supportive when it comes to narrow equity
questions like serving in the military or collecting federal benefits," Brown added. "But they are
less accepting of more philosophical issues such as equating gay rights with civil rights for blacks
and the belief that people are born gay rather than it being a choice. For example, 65 percent of
those who think people are born gay support legalized gay marriage compared to 15 percent
among those who say being gay is a personal choice."

A total of 4 percent of respondents say they are gay or bisexual, while 63 percent say they
have close friends or family members who are gay. Among the 63 percent who have a gay friend
or relative, support for homosexual rights is much higher. This group splits evenly on gay
marriage, while the other 34 percent oppose it 70 - 25 percent.

There is a gender gap on most questions, with women six to 15 points more supportive of
gay rights than men. Jews are the religious group most likely to support gay rights; evangelical
Christians the least likely and white Catholics in the middle.

"Lifting the ban on gays in the military has public support as does repealing part - but not
all - of the key sections of the federal Defense of Marriage Act," said Brown. Americans
support the part of that federal law allowing states to refuse to recognize gay marriages
performed in other states. But they want to repeal another part of the law that bans the federal
government from recognizing gay marriage for any purpose, the most important of which would
be eligibility for federal financial benefits such as spousal Social Security benefits."

From April 21 - 27, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,041 registered voters nationwide
with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the
nation as a public service and for research.
For more data or RSS feed - http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.

18. Would you support or oppose a law in your state that would allow same-sex
couples to get married?

20. Do you think same-sex couples should be allowed legally to marry, should
be allowed legally to form civil unions but not marry, or should not be
allowed to obtain legal recognition of their relationships?

TREND: Which would you prefer? Do you think same-sex couples should be allowed
legally to marry, should be allowed legally to form civil unions but not
marry, or should not be allowed to obtain legal recognition of their
relationships?

30. In your opinion, what causes someone to be gay or lesbian - Do you believe
that people are born gay or lesbian, or that people become gay or lesbian
because of the way they are brought up, or is it just the way that some people
choose to live?